Communicating is the foundation of almost every human interaction, and it’s more than simply choosing the right words. We may have learned to deliver a speech and persuade or argue for a position, but we seldom learn how to listen and engage in constructive conflict.

Mastering the art of communication involves choosing words, understanding preferences, and learning to interpret body language, tone and gesture as well as listening without bias or judgment. Fortunately these are all skills that can be learned.

In this workshop you will learn:

The various forms of communication

What great communicators do

To spot communication preferences and improve your chances of being heard

To use non-verbal cues to create openness

How our brains filter what we hear

What to do when it’s hard to listen

How to stay present and listen actively

To avoid trigger words like “always” and "never"

Tools to engage in constructive conflict

How to effectively communicate ideas to higher ups

As a result of this course you will have a new understanding of how we communicate in every situation, an awareness of the challenges involved in communicating effectively as well as the tools to improve conversations with customers and co-workers.

Course Description: Readings, discussions, online meetings and assignments will provide learners with the tools, resources and skills to be a better communicator. During the course of the four weeks there will be two online meetings with instructor Cheryl Gould in which learners will get the chance to practice communication techniques in a more interactive environment.

Course Outline: Using an Internet connection and web browser, you will log in to the Infopeople online learning site and complete the following learning modules:

Week 1: What Is Communication and Why We Do It

What is communication

Non-verbal communication

Why we communicate

Week 2: What Does It Take to Be a Great Communicator?

Self-awareness

Habits of great communicators

Communication with customers

Communicating accurately

Week 3: Avoiding and Resolving Conflict

Things that complicate communication

Causes of conflict in communication

Handling conflict

Conflict with customers

Conflict with co-workers

Resolving conflict

Week 4: Choosing Your Communication Path

Good written communication

Communication styles and preferences

Choosing appropriate modes of communication

Communicating with supervisors and managers

Pre-course assignment: To prepare for this course please read the article and take a short Communication Quiz (www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCS_99.htm) to get started thinking about how well you communicate.

Time required: To complete this course, you can expect to spend 2½ hours per week, for a total of 10 course hours. Each week's module contains readings and various options for assignments, discussions, interviews, and online meetings. You can choose the options most relevant to your work and interests. Although you can work on each module at your own pace, at any hour of the day or night, it is recommended that you complete each week's work within that week to stay in sync with other learners.

Who Should Take This Course: Library staff in all types of libraries staff who would like to improve their communication skills with co-workers and customers whether in person, on the phone or in writing.

Library Support Staff Certification (LSSC): This course, in combination with Infopeople's Beyond Books: Advanced Readers' Advisory course (offered annually), is approved as covering the Adult Readers' Advisory competencies for the LSSC program. Both courses must be taken to meet the competency set.

After the official end date for the course, the instructor will be available for limited consultation and support for two more weeks, and the course material will stay up for an additional two weeks after that. These extra weeks give those who have fallen behind time to work independently to complete the course.